


Last One To Let You Down

by meowitskatmofo



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe, ColdFlash Week 2018, Flower Shop Barry, Funeral Director Leonard, M/M, Tumblr: coldflashweek, Wakes & Funerals, coldflash - Freeform, no powers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-25 20:43:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14386737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meowitskatmofo/pseuds/meowitskatmofo
Summary: Barry's struggling flower shop receives help in a most unexpected way.





	Last One To Let You Down

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Last One To Let You Down](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14761056) by [MaryNevskaya](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaryNevskaya/pseuds/MaryNevskaya)



Barry Allen was on the edge of sleep, seconds away from falling out of his chair and crashing face first into the counter. He jerked his head up, smacking his lips as he continued to fight off the call of slumber. There hadn't been a single customer in the flower shop all day, and he was bored out of his mind. 

He had taken a few orders over the phone, got those ready, but they weren't due to be delivered until tomorrow morning. He had swept, checked on the stock, swept again, and found himself back at the front again with nothing to do. 

Business had been a bit slow lately. 

No, business had been dead. 

That was a much more accurate statement. 

Another month like this and he wouldn't be able to keep the shop open. He was losing his butt to the corporately sponsored florists and their so-called flower sculptors. It was a bunch of crap. They overcharged for cheap, empty arrangements that had no style whatsoever, and there was nothing Barry could do. 

He couldn't afford to advertise, and sadly most of his loyal clientele were fading out and going elsewhere. 

Or dying, he thought woefully. 

Allen's Flowers had been in his family for generations, and the customer base had always been fantastic. They knew that for quality and a fair price, everybody went to Allen's. At one time, they had three stores scattered all throughout Central City to keep up with the demand. 

But that was over twenty years ago, and all the shops were closed now except this one. Barry had given up the lease on his townhouse to live in the apartment upstairs because he couldn't afford it any longer. 

It was moments like these where he missed his parents so much. They had both died when Barry was young, left in the tender care of his grandfather until he passed on while Barry was in college. 

He dropped out to take over the shop, and never looked back. He understood the floral trade, having watched and learned from his grandpa from the time he was barely big enough to peer over the counter. 

For a while, he managed. 

He was able to keep two locations open with three other florists for almost two years before lack of business forced him to close the other shop and lay everyone else off. It was a miserable decision, and everything only kept getting worse. 

Barry had considered selling many times. The building the shop was housed in was a prime location right in the heart of downtown. He'd gotten a very nice offer a few months ago from Thawne Industries, but had politely declined their generous proposal. 

He miserably wondered if they'd still consider buying now. 

Barry sighed, rubbing his eyes and leaning back in the stool. He couldn't keep his eyes open any more, yawning softly. It would be so easy to fall asleep just like this... 

The door burst open, bell ringing, a deep voice calling out, "Hello? Are you open?" 

Barry nearly fell off the stool, hopping to his feet and letting it fall behind him as his hands slammed down into the counter. "Yes! Hi!" 

It was man, a very handsome man in a dark grey suit. He had at least ten years on Barry, but wow, he was freakin' gorgeous. 

Barry gawked dumbly, stammering, "H-how can I help you?" 

The man smiled and Christ, Barry was doomed in a second. His smile was bright and happy, and he had the prettiest lips. And those eyes, wow, they were absolutely beautiful, glittering like sapphires as they glanced over Barry's lean frame. 

The man's tongue swept over his top lip, and Barry swore he had died and gone to heaven. It had been a very long time for Barry, a very long time. Just watching that little tongue swipe was the closest he'd been to first base in years. 

"I need," the man began, sighing heavily, his tone dropping to a seductive drawl, "A dozen long stem red roses. In the next seventeen minutes and thirty seconds." 

"O-oh," Barry stuttered, trying not to sound like a complete idiot. He fell into the usual flower store banter, asking, "Uh, for, for a special someone?" 

"For the casket spray that just crashed into the aisle of Central City First United Methodist," the man purred in response, his eyes now showing the urgent nature of his request. 

"Wh-what?" Barry was stunned, that was definitely not the answer he was expecting. 

"I'm a funeral director," the man explained, "I was leading a service and a helping Hannah came up out of the pews to adjust the casket spray and knocked it right off. Four dozen long stem rose casket spray, full. Half are now crushed. I need at least a dozen to try and fix it before we head into the cemetery for the burial." 

"Uh, uh, of course!" Barry bolted into the back immediately, grabbing paper and wrapping up a dozen roses as quickly as he could. He ran back to the counter, thrusting the flowers into the man's arms, saying hurriedly, "Here!" 

"Ah! Back in a flash," the man drawled, that bright smile making Barry's insides turn into the consistency of raw dough. "My hero." 

Barry smiled dopily, sighing longingly. No one had any right to look that good in a suit. "Oh, it's, it's no problem at all." 

"How much do I owe you?" the man asked, starting to reach into his pocket for his wallet. 

"Nothing," Barry said without thinking, still grinning like an idiot. "Please, it's not every day I get to help with a true flower emergency." 

No, stupid, stupid, stupid! 

Too late to take it back now. Crap. 

The man seemed surprised, his hip pressing against the counter as he leaned close to reply, "Well, then I really owe you one, Flash." 

Barry's cheeks were suddenly on fire, blinking slowly at the man as the distance between them dwindled. 

The man chuckled, appraising Barry's blushing face as he teased, "Or maybe I should call you 'Scarlet', hmm?" 

"Barry. My name is Barry," he said, sucking in a sharp breath. 

"Thank you, Barry," the man replied, extending his hand to take his own, "I'm Leonard Snart, funeral director and embalmer at Snart and Sons Funeral Home." 

"Hi," Barry said dumbly, his fingers awkwardly curling around Snart's. His hand was soft and warm, and it fit so nicely around his own. 

Okay, his name was awful, but he was still hot as hell. 

"Beautiful," Snart murmured, the word rolling off his lips like poetry. 

"What?" Barry sighed dreamily. 

"The roses," he clarified, "They're lovely." 

"Right," Barry said, floundering in his own embarrassment, "I, uh, still only use local growers. You know, when I can. Uhm..." 

Snart was still smiling, those insanely beautiful eyes peering at Barry thoughtfully. "Barry?" 

"Yes?" Barry leaned closer, his eyes fluttering. He could smell Snart's aftershave, and he smelled so darn good, and he was so clean, and those lips were ridiculously sexy... 

"Might need my hand back," Snart said with a smirk. 

"Oh! Right! Sorry!" Barry quickly let go and retreated, anxiously raking his fingers through his hair. 

Snart straightened himself up, glancing at his watch. "Regrettably, I must get going. But thank you again." He hesitated, tilting his head. "Are you sure I can't pay you?" 

"I wouldn't take a dime," Barry replied, shrugging lightly. One bouquet of roses wasn't going to magically save his failing store after all. 

"I owe you one," Snart drawled, moving towards the door, winking slyly. "See you 'round... Scarlet." 

Barry watched Snart leave, his shoulders sagging and saying out loud, "Well... nothing else today is gonna freakin' top that." 

He was right. 

The rest of the day droned on without a single customer, Barry going to bed early without even eating dinner. He dreamed of roses and ice blue eyes, trying to hold onto every last fragment when he woke up the next morning. 

It all faded too fast, pouting as he shuffled around the apartment making coffee. He was supposed to be getting ready to open the store thirty minutes ago, but what was the point? 

No one was going to be coming in anyway. He'd take the deliveries he had from yesterday and open up when he came back. As he drank his coffee and felt sorry for himself, he heard the phone ring. 

"Allen's Flowers," he answered dutifully. An order for a standing spray for a funeral. Not bad. He grabbed an order form and quickly filled it out. 

He hung up, frowning as the phone began to ring again almost immediately. 

"Allen's Flowers," he answered again, surprised to hear it was another order. A peace lily for a visitation. 

He could hear another call beeping in, his pulse beginning to flutter with excitement. He couldn't remember the last time he had been this busy. 

It went on and on for an hour before he finally had to turn the phone over to the answering machine to take the orders. He had arrangements to deliver, and so far nineteen new orders to get ready. 

He glanced back at the order forms he'd filled out, noticing the obvious similarities between them. 

They were all orders for funerals. Sure, some of them were having services at different churches or venues, but the funeral home was the same for every single one. 

Snart and Sons. 

Barry immediately thumbed through the phone book to look up the number for the funeral home. While it rang, he nervously tugged at the cord, twirling it around his fingers. 

There was no other explanation. 

It had to be Leonard. 

"Snart and Sons Funeral Home, Lisa speaking, how may I help you?" a female voice politely chirped. 

"Uh, yes," Barry said slowly, "Is Leonard available?" 

"Just one moment, may I let him know who's calling?" 

"It's, uh, Barry?" he replied, wondering if he should say more. 

"Wait," the woman's voice changed drastically, gushing, "Barry from the flower shop?" 

"Uh... yes?" Barry blinked. He had no idea how this woman knew who he was, his cheeks heating up again. 

"You hang on just one second, sweetie," the woman purred, pleasant hold music filling the line. 

Barry had managed to tie his phone cord in knots, tugging hard as he tried to straighten it back out. 

"Why, hello Scarlet," Snart's perfectly seductive voice drawled in Barry's ear. 

"Wow, hi!" Barry exclaimed, "I wanted to-" It was at that moment he tugged too hard at the knot and as it gave way, the snap jerked the phone right out of his hand, launching it across the floor where it clattered loudly. "Oh, shit!" 

Barry dove for it, picking up quickly as he babbled, "Shit, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to drop you! I just, uhm, I wanted to thank you." He paused. "It was... it was you, right?" 

Snart chuckled softly, confirming, "Yes, it was." 

"How? How did you do that?" Barry asked, grinning happily. 

"Oh, I instructed our staff to make Allen's Flowers our new recommended florist," came the smug reply. 

"Wow, you, you really did that for me?" Barry was stunned, grinning like mad. "That's so sweet. I... I don't know how to thank you. I mean, I guess I don't have to because you did this to thank me, and it's just gonna turn into this never ending cycle-" 

"Dinner?" 

"Wait, what?" 

Snart chuckled again, saying slowly, "I'd like to take you to dinner, Barry." 

Barry's heart did a somersault right up into his throat, nodding several times before remembering they were on the phone and Snart couldn't actually see him. "Yes, wow, absolutely yes." 

"Wonderful," Snart purred, "Tonight?" 

"Uh, sure! What time?" 

"How's seven?" 

"Perfect!" 

"I'll swing by the shop and pick you up," Snart promised him, "See you tonight, Scarlet." 

"Tonight," Barry gushed dreamily, melting all over his kitchen floor. He hugged the phone to his chest, laughing and kicking his feet triumphantly. 

Holy crap baskets, he had a date with Leonard Snart. Super sweet, ridiculously hot Leonard Snart. Not only that, he was now the Snarts' preferred florist, and he had nineteen orders to fill. He couldn't stop grinning, bustling around the shop with more energy than he'd had in weeks. 

Barry had so much to do, plus getting ready for his date later this evening. 

Maybe one bouquet was enough to save his flower shop after all. 

Or at least get laid.


End file.
